Floating elevon shear pin linkage for folding split elevons



Nov. 13, 1962 M. E. JARRELL 3,063,660

FLOATING ELEVON SHEAR PIN LINKAGE FOR FOLDING SPLIT ELEVONS Filed July 25, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2a 52 28 3mm MART/N E JARRELL Nov. 13, 1962 M. E. JARRELL 3,063,660

FLOATING ELEVON SHEAR PIN LINKAGE FOR FOLDING SPLIT ELEVONS Filed July 25, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 &' O

gwuwvbo'o MART/IV E. JARRELL United States Patent 3,063,660 FLOATING ELEVON SHEAR PIN LINKAGE FOR FOLDING SPLIT ELEVONS Martin E. Jarrell, Arlington, Tex., assignor, by mesne assignments, to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed July 25, 1960, Ser. No. 45,249 4 Claims. (Cl. 244-49) The present invention relates to folding wing aircraft and more particularly to new and improved hinge means between split sections of a floating elevon.

In modern supersonic aircraft and missiles it has been found desirable to eliminate the conventional elevato and to provide elevons on the wings which perform the combined functions of the elevator and ailerons. The high speeds and required maneuverability of present aircraft dictate use of elevons having large surface areas. It has been found in laying out such large surface areas that the required length of elevon cannot be arranged on one side of the folded wing. Thus, the elevon must be split and means provided to permit the elevon to fold with the folding of the wing. Heretofore, relatively intricate coupling arrangements were provided in order that the split elevon portions might be laterally split during wing folding. These arrangements were susceptible to jamming and excessive maintenance.

The instant invention pertains to a novel hinge and shear rod construction between the elevon sections which is continuous with the hinge fold of the parent wing and which permits the elevon to fold simultaneously with the wing. When the wing is extended the hinge automatically aligns and locks the elevon portions together whereby the elevon sections may be operated as a unit in flight by means of a single control attached to the inboard elevon section. The shear pin linkage acts to transfer shear forces between the split elevons while the hinge acts to align the sections. Thus, the present invention provides a simple but improved hinge arrangement for folding split elevon portions of folding Wings.

An object of the present invention is the provision of improved means to align split elevon sections while providing uniform distribution of shear forces between split elevon sections.

Another object is to provide an improved linkage between split elevon sections which permits lateral separation of the split sections.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view locating the position of a preferred embodiment of the invention in split elevons on an aircraft.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of aligning hinge details with the elevon surface being broken away.

FIG. 3 is a section of the aligning hinge taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow.

FIG. 4 is a section of the elevon portions taken on the line 44 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the shear rod mounting.

FIG. 5 is a section of the shear rod mounting taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4 looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 6 is a section of the shear rod mounting taken on the line 66 of FIG. 4 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts through out the several views there is shown in FIG. 1 an aircraft 3,063,660 Patented Nov. 13,- 1962 "ice fuselage 9 having inboard and outboard wing sections 11 and 12, respectively, and a wing hinge fold 13. Located in the trailing edge of the wing is a split elevon having inboard and outboard sections 14 and 15, respectively, hinged toegther by hinge 18 which permits the outboard elevon section 15 to fold simultaneously with the wing. Main elevon hinges 16 pivotally connect the elevon sections to the wing sections and elevon controls 17 are located adjacent the fuselage 9 and are secured 'to the elevon section 14.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3 which show the aligning hinge portion of the invention in detail, hinge 18 .is seen to be composed of four interlocking members 21, 22, 23, 24. Members 21 and 22 are formed with protuberances 25 on their longitudinal edges designed to interlock with each other and with similar protuberances 26 on members 23 and 24. The hinge pro-tuberances 25 and 26 are connected together by pins 27 which pass through a hole centrally located in each protuberance, The outer members 23 and 24 have mounting surfaces 28 for rigidly mounting the hinge 18 to ribs 29 and 31 of the elevon sections 15 and 14 respectively. tion of the wings as shown in solid lines on FIG. 3, sections 14 and 15 form a chamber 32 for housing the collapsed hinge within the elevon.

When the wing is folded the hinge 18 acts as a toggle permitting the outboard elevon section 15 to be pivoted upwardly and outwardly of section 14. See broken lines in FIG. 3, As the wing is extended into flight position the hinge toggle will collapse into the chamber 32 formed by the elevon sections thereby automatically aligning and locking the inboard and outboard elevon sections together. 'In order to insure the structural unity of the elevon sections a shear rod assembly 19 extend between elevon sections 14 and 15 to insure that shear forces are evenly transferred between the sections of the split elevon both when the elevon is folded at the split and when extended. More specifically, in FIGS. 4 through 6 a linkage is illustrated which includes a rod 33 which extends within a runway 34 mounted inside the outboard elevon 15. A similar rod 36 extends within a runway 37 mounted inside the inboard elevon 14. The rods 33 and 36 are pivotally connected by a tongue 38 on the end of rod 36 and a groove 39 on the end of rod 33. The tongue 38 and groove 39 are joined by a pin 41 so as to form a pivot point. The pivoted rods 33 and 36 are also extensible in order to allow the elevon sections 14 and 15 to separate laterally. Thus, on folding the wing section 12, rod 36 will run partially out of runway 37, and rod 33 will run partially out of runway 34 and will also pivot about pin 41 as shown in broken lines in FIG. 4 to allow for lateral separation.

A stop plate 42 is mounted on elevon portion 14 so as to engage a flat side 43 of rod 36. Plate 42, therefore, prevents rotation of rod 36 in runway 37. Similarly, a finger stop 44 is mounted on elevon section 15 to engage a groove 46 in rod 33. This engagement prevents rod 33 from rotating in runway 34, Thus, the axis of pivot 41 is maintained parallel to the wing fold axis and possible fracture of the joint formed by tongue 38 and groove 39 during retraction or extension of the outer wing sections 12 is eliminated. Therefore, it can be seen that shear forces may be transmitted between sections 14 and 15 by the beam action of rods 33 and 36 so as to maintain the structural unity of the elevon sections both when the elevon is folded at the split and when extended.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

In the extended posi- 3 What is claimed is: '1. In an aircraft having folding wings, a'first and second movable surface foldable relative to each other and pivotably attached to each wing, a hinge means con-.

necting said first and second movable surfaces adjacent the pivotable attachment of said surfaces to said wings, a shear rod means extending between said first and second movable surfaces and having a first rod, a second rod, and a. tongue and groove hinge connecting said first and second rods whereby lateral separation of said first and second surfaces is permitted during folding and unfolding of each of said wings and at the same time shear forces are transferred between said surfaces.

2., In an aircraft having folding wings, a first and second movable surface foldable relative to each other and pivotably attached to each wing, a hinge means connecting said first and second movable surfaces adjacent the pivotable attachment of said surfaces to said wings, a shear rod means extending between said first and second movable surfaces and having a first rod extending within said first movable surface, said first rod having a fiat side, a second rod extending within said second movable surface, said second rod having a groove therein, a first stop mounted on said first movable surface which engages said fiat side of said first rod and prevents said first rod from rotation within said first movable surface, a second stop mounted on said second movable surface which rides in a groove in said second rod and prevents said second rod from rotating within said second movable surface whereby lateral separation of said first and second surfaces is permitted during folding and unfolding of each of said Wings and at the same time shear forces are transferred between said surfaces.

3. In an aircraft having folding wings and a hinge fold extending the width of said wings, a first movable surface pivotably attached to at least one of said wings, a second movable surface pivotably attached to said wing, a toggle means hinging said surfaces together in a line continuous with said hinge fold having a first member pivotably attached to said first movable surface, a second member pivotably attached to said second movable surface, and means pivotably connecting the adjacent ends of said first and second pivotal members, a shear rod extending between said first and second movable surfaces having a first rod, a second rod, and a tongue and groove hinge connecting said first and second rods whereby lateral separation of said first and second surfaces is permitted during folding and unfolding of each of said wings and at the same time shear forces are transferred between said surfaces.

4. In an aircraft having folding wings and a hinge bolt extending the width of at least one of said Wings, a first movable surface pivotally attached to said Wing, a second movable surface pivotally attached to said wing, a toggle means hinging said surfaces together in a line continuous with said hinge fold having a first member pivotally attached to said first movable surface, a second member pivotally attached to said second movable surface, and means pivotally connecting the adjacent ends of said first and second pivotal members, a shear rod extending between said first and second movable surfaces and having a first rod extending within said first movable surface, said first rod having a fiat side, a second rod extending within said second movable surface, said second rod having a groove therein, a first stop mounted on said first movable surface which engages the flat side of said first rod and prevents said first rod from rotating in said first movable surface, a second stop mounted on said second movable surface which rides in the groove of said second rod and prevents said second rod from rotating in said second movable surface, and a tongue and groove hinge connecting said first rod to said second rod whereby lateral separation of said first and second surfaces is permitted during folding and unfolding of each of said wings and at the same time shear forces are transferred between said surfaces.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 625,678 Hilzheim May 23, 1899 1,126,764 Hubbard Feb. 2, 1915 2,712,421. Naumann July 5, 1955 

